Lanner Falcon and its Cvnfjeners. 83 



Falconry *, he found that the so-called F./ehlerfr/ii answered 

 quite well to Belon's description of the true Lanner, and 

 reintroduced it therefore to science under its right name t- 



F. lanar'ms is a native of Eastern and South-eastern 

 Europe and North Africa ; in Egypt it is found breeding 

 on the Great Pyramid +. In Central and North (Antral 

 Africa its place appears to he taken by F. tanypterus (the 

 Alphanet Lanner of the old writers), and in South Africa 

 by our F. hiarmicus. How far these two latter forms 

 may overlap does not seem to have been accurately 

 determined. 



The Lanners belong to the group of " Desert '' Falcons 

 [Genncva of Kaup), which differ from the true Falcons in 

 having relatively longer wings and tails, looser and softer 

 plumage, and smaller feet and beaks. Insects, reptiles, and 

 small mammals form a large proportion of their diet. 



In the adults the breast-markings never become transverse, 

 and in the Lanners consist of cordate or sagittiform spots — in 

 lanarhis fairly evenly distributed over the whole under 

 surface, but in hiarnimis confined to the flanks and thighs. 

 With their light bodies and weak plumage they cannot fly 

 well in a high wind. 



Photographs of a male Lanner of two moults — i. e., three 

 years old, — trained by the writer, accom[)any this article. 

 The following are the })rincipal dimensions : — "Wing \'l-^ 

 inches, tail G|- inches, total length 1G| inches. The wings when 

 closed reach almost to the end of the tail. The second 

 primary is the longest, the first shorter than the third. 

 Middle toe If inches; greatest length of foot 3f inches. 

 Legs, feet, cere, and eyelids bright yellow; irides dark hazel. 

 Weight ly oz. The tooth on the upper mandible is 

 prominent and acute and there is some trace of a festoon. 



Though swift of flight the Lanner is by no means 

 persevering, and for held work is far inferior to the 



* ' Traitd de Fiiuconnerie,' par II. Schlcgel et A. VtTster van 

 Wiilverhor.st. Leiden et Diisscldorf, 1844-53. Atlas folio. 

 t Vide ' Itevue critique des Oiscaux d'Europc,' p. 12. 

 I C'f. Gurney and Salvln. 



